MEDIA ADVISORY/CALENDAR ENTRY:
AUGUST 14 PUBLIC INFORMATION SESSION
ON PROCESS TO DECIDE THE FUTURE OF BNL REACTOR

EVENT: Public information session on the process that the U.S.
Department of Energy and Brookhaven National Laboratory will follow to decide
the future of the High Flux Beam Reactor.

WHEN: August 14, 1997, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

WHERE: Mastic-Moriches-Shirley Community Library, William Floyd
Parkway, Shirley, New York

DETAILS: The High Flux Beam Reactor (HFBR) at Brookhaven National
Laboratory is a world-renowned research facility used by hundreds of scientists
annually for studies in chemistry, physics, materials science, medicine
and biology. It is currently not running, as a result of the discovery
earlier this year that the basement-level pool used to hold its spent fuel
is leaking. The leak has contaminated groundwater directly south of the
HFBR under the BNL site, and the U.S. Department of Energy has committed
to removing the spent fuel and water from the pool in order to prevent further
leakage and groundwater contamination.

DOE and BNL have begun the process to decide the future of the HFBR,
a process that will culminate in early 1998 with a decision by the Secretary
of Energy to either work toward restarting the HFBR or to decommission it.
The Secretary's decision will take into account the scientific, budgetary,
environmental and community issues related to the reactor. On August 14,
Long Islanders are invited to learn about the decisionmaking process and
provide their input.

The August 14 event is the first in a series of local events on the HFBR's
future that are planned for upcoming months. Future events will be announced
when dates are known. BNL is also offering free speakers to address civic,
social and fraternal groups; groups should call 344-2345 to request a speaker.